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To the readers who know better than to use fiction as an instruction manual for real life.
“Dude, that was so close!” It was, in fact, not very close. Freddy Rook missed the can by at least three feet, so I doubt there’s an NBA career looming in his future.
If I had to guess, most of Sophie’s looks – and probably half the student body’s – were curated with Adrian Ellis’ opinion in mind.
I don’t drink the water the detective give me. I’ve watched enough SVU to know they can snag a suspect’s DNA off those little plastic cups, and though the petite, severe-looking detective made it clear that I’m not a suspect, the paranoia lingers.
it genuinely follows me everywhere
You’ve just become the most interesting thing on campus, Poppy Davis.”
Somehow, I’ve managed to end the night more poorly than I started it: with my life on tenuous terms and the attention of a murderer.
Right now, Adrian is an uncontrolled variable. Dangerous and unpredictable – a winning combination.
“This feels different than I thought it would,” he says. “What feels different?” “Opening up to someone,” he explains, “I’ve only ever seen vulnerability as a tool. A weakness I can wield against someone when I need to. I didn’t realize it could feel…” He pauses like he can’t find the word – or maybe just doesn’t want to say it out loud. “Nice.”
“There you go. You got it,” he murmurs, and it’s only then I realize that it’s working. I’m breathing through my diaphragm. “Good girl.”
ohhhhh yep im done for
“I hate you,” I spit at him. “No, you don’t,” he shoots back. “You may want to, but I don’t think you do.”
“It was that pathetic display at your locker.” His face suddenly darkens, every ounce of softness disappearing. “You pulled out that pitiful little rose, and you had all this stunned excitement on your face. For him. For someone else.”
like you, sweetheart. I like you a lot. We’re not friends. We’re going to be more than that.”
“This morning, when you looked at him, it took every ounce of my self-control to avoid walking over to Freddy Rook and bashing his skull in till he was no longer worth looking at. You do this to me.”
His mouth curls up, no shame or guilt to be found. “Well, I never said I was a saint. Or above blackmail. You should get used to it.” “Should I?” “Yes.” There’s no room for argument in his tone. “You’re mine now.”
“Just what I’ve always wanted,” I reply sarcastically. “A relationship built on a foundation of blackmail and secrets.”
“I like dressing you up like this.” He catches a caterer who’s wading through the sea of red dresses and black suits and plucks two long stem glasses off the tray. “What? Like a doll?” I inspect the glass of copper-colored liquid he hands me. “Precisely.” He takes a swig of what I assume is some sort of sparkling cider, eyes gleaming. “A pretty little doll that I get to show off…and only I get to touch.”
“Poppy!” Freddy calls. “I forgot to tell you. You look gorgeous tonight!” I don’t even have time to open my mouth before Adrian whirls around, his fist colliding with Freddy’s face in a sickening crunch.
“You’re a monster,” I whisper. He just blinks at me – unfazed. “You knew that already,” he says quietly and strokes the mark he left on my neck. “But I’m a monster infatuated.”
“I can’t feed you a line. I can’t curate a version of myself that you’ll respond to because you already know exactly who I am. It’s why I’m so drawn to you. “And now I don’t know what to do with all these…” He shakes his head. “Feelings. You say that I’m standing on solid ground, but you’ve stolen every bit of it right out from underneath me. You have a hold on me that nobody ever has. These three weeks…I couldn’t stand it. All I can think about is you. I can’t stop worrying that if I let you slip through my fingers – even for a moment – you’ll decide you’re done with me, and there will be
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“It doesn’t matter if you change your mind,” he groans. “It doesn’t matter if you wake up one day and decide you hate me. I’ll never let you go.” His pace quickens, but his strokes have begun to get sloppy. “I don’t care what I have to do. Who I have to kill. I’ll break you into tiny pieces and rebuild you myself if it means I get to keep you. You’re never leaving me, sweetheart.” “Never,” I rasp.
